Depiction of the proposed Virginia Key Beach Park museum. Miami commissioners will vote on June 13 over a resolution to ask the county to release about $20.5 million to start construction on the museum.

VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK

After years of standstill, Virginia Key Beach Park took a step toward constructing its proposed civil rights museum.

Miami leaders unanimously passed a resolution Thursday, committing to help the park with the museum’s operational costs post-construction. The resolution prompts the release of funds allotted over 10 years ago from Miami-Dade County totaling about $20.5 million for construction of the museum.

The museum is planned to commemorate the park’s civil rights and environmental history. Opened in 1945 as a “colored only” beach, Virginia Key Beach Park was the only Miami beach, at the time, that permitted people of color.

Gregory Bush has been involved in studying and looking into the best ways south Floridians can move forward with plans for better management of public spaces in Virginia Key. He looked at the history of the region and how Miami has struggled with the best course for it in his new book, "White Sand, Black Beach." He will be discussing his work at this year's Miami Book Fair. I asked him where he found inspiration for this project.

As of this morning, the second annual Virginia Key Grassroots Festival is already easy-grooving on Virginia Key Beach. The four-day event, which started last night, features bands, camping, yoga, and the usual array of slightly crunchy entertainment. But still, it's not just another run-of-the-mill hippie jam-down.